April 11, 2024 – Shine Global announced that the feature film Okthanksbye, directed by Nicole Van Kilsdonk, has been honored with the Children’s Resilience in Disability Stories Award at ReelAbilities 2024 closing night. This new prize is given to a film that highlights the resilience and strength of children with disabilities.  The winner is awarded $2,500 and an invitation to participate in Shine Global’s upcoming 2024 Resilience Awards events.

In this Netherlands/Belgium/French coming-of-age road movie, two adolescent girls at a boarding school for the deaf, shy Jamie and bold Imane, played by Mae van de Loo and Douae Zine El Abidine both in their film debuts, set off on an unexpected road trip to Paris. When things do not go as planned, and the trip takes an adventurous turn, Jamie must come out of her shell.  The film was Directed and Co-Written by Nicole Van Kilsdonk, with co-writer Lilian Sijbesma and produced by Rogier Kramer.

“Okthanksbye is an empowering portrayal of children’s resilience and friendship” said Shine Global’s Creative Director Alexandra Blaney. “The film not only captivates audiences with its heartwarming story of friendship and self-discovery but also stands as a beacon for representation on screen, featuring deaf actors who authentically portray the journey of Jamie and Imane.”

Since 2007, ReelAbilities Film Festival has been blazing a trail as the nation’s premier festival dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. With the flagship festival hosted annually in NY, the festival is renowned for its wide-ranging international film selection, riveting conversations, professional workshops and arts events, as well as a leader in setting the highest standards of accessibility and inclusion in the film industry. The festival is a rare opportunity to put the spotlight on disabled individuals as protagonists, role models, artists and producers, all on the big screen. The festival connects people with and without disabilities in celebration of cinema, diversity and accessibility.  

“ReelAbilities is proud to partner with Shine Global and help raise the bar on disability inclusion in cinema. The intersectionality of disability and children’s resilience opens a door for elevating films on underrepresented topics,” said Isaac Zablocki, director and co-founder of ReelAbilities. 

Shine Global’s annual Resilience Awards honor exceptional films that center around the resilience of children and further the organization’s mission of improving children’s lives by harnessing the power of storytelling. Past winners include the feature documentaries Name Me Lawand (2023, Directed by Edward Lovelace) which was also awarded the ReelAbilities Accessibility Award at Shine Global’s 2023 events, Lift (2022, Directed by David Petersen) and the short documentary Ayenda (2023, directed by Marie Margolius) in partnership with Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival, and the animated children’s film Dounia – The Great White North (2024, directed by Marya Zarif and André Kadi) in partnership with the New York International Children’s Film Festival.  The 2024 call for entries for feature films is currently open on FilmFreeway with a final deadline of May 31, 2024.

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About Shine Global

Shine Global is a non-profit media company that improves the lives of children by telling powerful stories to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on Capitol Hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.

Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on HBOMax, and the Ariel Award winner Home Is Somewhere Else, which is currently in festivals.

ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL’S RESILIENCE AWARDS

This annual event recognizes and celebrates the films and filmmakers that highlight the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity. The awards are open to films of any genre that showcase children overcoming challenges, such as poverty, violence, illness, and discrimination, and demonstrate their resilience, courage, and determination.

About ReelAbilities

ReelAbilities celebrates disability, inclusion and accessibility through wide-ranging international films, riveting conversations, professional workshops and other forms of visual and performing arts.
Founded in NY in 2007, ReelAbilities presents the largest festival in the world dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. With a flagship festival in New York, affiliate festivals throughout North America, an online streaming platform, industry summit, educational programs and more, ReelAbilities brings the community together to explore, discuss, embrace, and celebrate the diversity of our shared human experience, and is a leader in setting the highest standards of accessibility and inclusion in the film industry.

About ReelAbilities Industry Summit
DISABILITY INCLUSION AND EQUITY IN FILM + PERFORMING ARTS

Hosted in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office for Media and Entertainment, Reelabilities´ industry Summit gathers industry professionals to explore and discuss topics of accessibility, inclusion and representation in all aspects of the film and performing arts industries, and explore beyond the basics into progressive best practices.
Industry leaders, including Disabled creatives, share knowledge and experience providing participants with the tools to elevate accessibility and open pathways to deeper inclusion.  https://reelabilities.org/